ABSTRACT
This study identified that organizational politics is an unavoidable part of organizations which forms the core upon the agitations for control and interest projections at work place. This research work had as its core objective an analysis of organizational politics and employee’s performance in Nnamdi Azikiwe University. The literature was anchored on Pffeffor theory of organizational politics. The survey research design was used for the study. Taro Yameni formula was used to arrive at a sample population of 148 respondents comprising of staff of Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka. A simple random sampling was used to sample the respondents and findings were presented in tables and simple percentages. Findings show that that organizational politics exist in organizations because of workers personal and selfish interests, family and friend ties, ambition not matched with equal work, fear of deprivations and lack of trust. It further shoed that there are lost hours of work which affects productivity and jobs are not properly executed and that organizational politics can be handled by advancement of team work, propagation of transparency at work place, dialogue and discussions and by avoiding partiality. Based on conclusion made, the researcher recommended reward and promotions at work place should be objectively done in line with company standards, rotation between branches and units to cut off too much closure among staff and punishment of staff involved in heating up politics in organizations and are found lobbying should be proper disciplined.
CHAPTER ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1 BACKGROUND TO THE STUDY
Over the years, the concept of organizational politics has become a subject of study by many scholars and practitioners within the field of management, due to its nature of controversy. Sequel to this, interplay of politics is inevitable because of its applications in every part of organizational life. It is also common in most families, mostly used to achieve their individual goals. Politics involves human element and the relationship that come out of it is political which should be managed and handled with care, sincerity and maturity before escalating out of control (Krietner & Kinicki 2014).
Organizational politics is described as an activity that permits people in organization to accomplish goals without going through proper channels. Whether political activities assist or harm the organization depends on whether the goals of individuals are consistent with the goals of organization (Hochwarter, 2005). There is no doubt that political beliefs are an ordinary observable fact in every organization. Organizational politics represented devious behavior of employees towards their work environment only for their self interests. These self interests may be at the cost of other employees or may be organizational goals as well. Job satisfaction is the feelings of employees towards their job. Level of satisfaction that employees attain from different roles they play in an organization.
It’s simply the perception of employees that how well the job provides those things that are important for them like benefits, promotional opportunities, supervision, coworkers, working condition and the work itself.
Research has noticed that the views of organizational politics are not the organizational politics itself, (Armenio, 2008).
Organizations focus on the performance of the employees and the factors which will directly and indirectly affect the performance of the employees. An important factor which affects the performance of an employee at work is perception of organizational politics. Politics is a common phenomenon of almost every organization (Vigoda and Cohen, 2012). It is unlikely to have a politics free organization because organizations are social entities where employees make efforts individually and in groups for valued resources, struggle for power, involve in conflicts and execute different influential tactics to get the benefits and serve their self interests (Molm, 2007). Therefore, organizational politics is the severe problem which is being faced by the human resource management.
Employees indulge in politics to make their position secure at the workplace and spoil the reputation of their fellow workers. Individuals play politics for instant fame, recognition and to achieve something beyond their control in a short span of time. This involvement of workers in organizations often derails their focus on the primary assignment in the office and in turn their performance. Those who are the targets of politics are engrossed in battling out their survival while those who seek to drag them down rubbish their little performance and perform less themselves in most known cases.
An organization is at loss when its employees play dirty politics. Individuals find it extremely difficult to concentrate on their work in a politically driven organization.
This study is therefore focused on investigating the impact of organizational politics on employee’s performance.
1.2 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
Politics involves human element and the relationship that come out of it is political which should be managed and handled with care, sincerity and maturity before escalating out of control (Krietner & Kinicki 2004).
The continuous quest for control and influence by people in life especially at organizations has continuously proved to be of great burden to the honesty, positivity and harmonious existence of mankind talk more of when brought into an organization where team work is greatly required to bring about achievement of set goals. Performance no doubt suffers when there is interplay of politics in organizations. One of the major problems identified in this study is ‘bad political behavior’ or maneuvering which affects negatively employee’s performance due to conflict, hatred, rancor that emanates from unfriendly work environment. The implication is that it results to lower productivity in the work place if not managed well. Based on this, study is necessitated and research objective focus to investigate the impact of organizational politics on employee’s performance in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
1.3 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY
The broad objective of this study is on organizational politics and employee’s performance in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
The specific objectives are;
- To ascertain the extent of relationship between organizational efficacy and employee commitment in Unizik.
- To identify the relationship between workers personal interest and job execution in Unizik.
- To identify ways through which manipulative behaviors can be avoided among Unizik employees.
1.4 RESEARCH QUESTIONS
Based on the above objectives of the researcher, it is apparently obvious and important that some researchable questions are needed; these questions are expected to be the basis upon which the above stated objectives can be achieved. However, the under listed questions are germane to this research work:
1) What is the extent of relationship between organizational efficacy and employee commitment in Unizik?.
2) What are the relationship between workers personal interest and job execution in Unizik?
3) In what ways can manipulative behaviors be avoided among Unizik employees?
1.5 STATEMENT OF HYPOTHESES
- Ho: There is a relationship between organizational efficacy and employee commitment in Unizik.
Hi: There is a relationship between organizational efficacy and employee commitment in Unizik.
- Ho: There are relationships between workers personal interest and employee performance in Unizik.
Hi: There are no relationships between workers personal interest and employee performance in Unizik.
- Ho: There are strategies through which manipulative behaviors can be avoided among Unizik employees.
Hi: There are no strategies through which manipulative behaviors can be avoided among Unizik employees.
1.6 SIGNIFICANCE OF THE STUDY
This study on the effect of organizational politics in employee performance in Unizik is due to the incessant quest for power and control in the university.
At the end of this research, the students, parents, scholars, government, NUC, University management and employees will know the extent of damage organizational politics can have on employee job performance and how they can relatively avoid it.
Theoretically, this study will be an important contribution to literature. Poon (2003) suggested that keeping in view its importance at work place; organizational politics requires to be investigated more expansively. Hence, this study will open room for more research into organizational politics.
Practically, this study will be useful to the interested and affected parties/interests in organizational politics will be armed with adequate information and theories on the way out and how to maximize performance despite little rickets of organizational that may still exist.
1.7 SCOPE AND DELIMITATION OF THE STUDY
This study was carried out to find out how organizational politics affect employee performance in Nnamdi Azikiwe University, Awka.
The study does not cover other universities or parastatals but Unizik due to the proximity to the researcher and vast political differences/play within the university.
1.8 LIMITATIONS OF THE STUDY
During the course of this research, there were some visible and invisible problems encountered in the areas of time, funding and data collection.
Time was a problem as the time for the study was grossly inadequate. The researcher has to share the little available time between the study and classroom work.
The funds needed to facilitate the field work and research for this study was scarcely available due to the economic recession in the country. Also, access to materials to review was a major problem with a negative attitude encountered from the respondents who were generally lackadaisical in providing the needed response for this work due to fear of victimization from those whose ox maybe gored through the revelations of this study.
The researcher however was able to manage the little time and resources to see to the successful end of this research work.
1.9 DEFINITIONS OF TERMS
ORGANIZATIONAL POLITICS
Organizational politics explains self serving, devious and manipulative behavior of employees towards their work environment only for their self interests. These self interests might be at the cost of other employees or may be organizational goals as well.
ORGANIZATION
An organization or organisation is an entity comprising multiple people, such as an institution or an association, that has a collective goal and is linked to an external environment.
EMPLOYEE PERFORMANCE
Employee performance is defined as whether a person executes their job duties and responsibilities well. Many companies assess their employee’s performance on an annual or quarterly basis in order to define certain areas that need improvement. Performance is a critical factor in organizational success.
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